By Wednesday afternoon, the steaks had disappeared, the charcoal in the grills near the White House press area still warm. On the South Lawn of the White House, where the event was set to take place, box trucks were still parked near the fountain, and roundtables and folding chairs were stacked high, two giant wooden boxes labeled “Popcorn Machine” forlornly sitting nearby on the grass.

The picnic is aimed at bringing members of Congress, their families and members of the administration together for a casual, lighthearted evening. Last year’s event had a New York theme, complete with a carousel, sailboat racing in the fountain and snack stands with popcorn, cotton candy and soft pretzels.

The tradition dates back to September 1945, when President Harry Truman hosted 150 Democratic members of Congress at Jefferson Island in the Chesapeake Bay, per the White House Historical Association.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, made it a bipartisan event, hosting a “Country Fair” celebration on the South Lawn for children and grandchildren of members of Congress, Cabinet members and other government officials.

Since then, the picnic has provided a casual atmosphere for socialization and camaraderie.

This year, amid bitter partisan divisions and a crisis of child separation on the border, the show did not go on.